


Someone New

by NeapolitanGirls



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: It's more of a character analysis I guess, M/M, They read a book okay, i don't know what to tell ya, thats literally it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 00:38:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17294348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeapolitanGirls/pseuds/NeapolitanGirls
Summary: The current small village they stopped to rest at is one such tragic stops. The place seemed almost absent of any type of character at all. Unless he found himself real curious about farming there wasn’t much for him to do.  Lucky for Molly a much more interesting person just started sitting right next to him. Unlucky for Molly he doesn’t really seem much interested in conversation.





	Someone New

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this before IT happened and well it's not terrible so here ya go.  
> It was originally inspired by Hozier's song "Someone New"

“I fall in love just a little oh a little bit every day with someone new”

Molly has always been interested in new people. Traveling with the circus created many opportunities for doing just that and after he started warming up to this new and sudden existence as Mollymauk Tealeaf that's what he did. Meeting the Mighty Nein may not have happened during the best part of his new life but they may have been some of the most interesting people he has met yet. 

It is never the past Molly is interested in. After all, he doesn’t really have a past so who is he to judge a passing stranger for theirs. No, it’s always the now he wants to know about. What are they thinking now? What will they do now? How do they feel now? The way people act at the moment tells more about a person than whatever story they might tell him. 

Yasha is a great example. The first time Molly met Yasha the thing that intrigued him first wasn’t whatever mysterious past she kept so close to her chest it was the book of flowers. She treated the delicate flowers so carefully and seemed much more relaxed while looking for them than when she had to talk. When he got curious enough to ask why she kept them she simply said that they made her happy. That’s all he really needed to hear to believe that she was a much more gentle person than she looked. He learned more over the few months they spent at the carnival together but never pried into her past just as she never pried into the absence of his. He didn’t feel the need to ask because he didn’t feel he needed to know. 

Sometimes he misses the constant come and go of people from the Carnival. New faces and questions he tried his best to answer in the limiting form of cards. Traveling with the Mighty Nein isn’t so different as he does still get to meet plenty of colorful characters but their stops aren’t always so exciting. The current small village they stopped to rest at is one such tragic stops. It’s not the small or dirty part Molly minds. He’s used to that but the place seems almost absent of any type of character at all. Unless he found himself real curious about farming there wasn’t much for him to do and all the villagers were much too old and cynical to be interested in any tarot card readings. Lucky for Molly a much more interesting person just started sitting right next to him. Unlucky for Molly he doesn’t really seem much interested in conversation.

He and Caleb happen to be the only of the Mighty Nein still sitting in the almost empty tavern down beneath their chosen lodging for the evening. They had all headed to bed long ago after coming back from such a tiring and long journey that was only half done. Molly was the only one who stayed back at first but after a few minutes Caleb came back down and just sat near him. Tight grip on one of the books he picked up in the last place they stayed. He only acknowledged Molly with a grunt before turning his attention back to what had to be a very interesting book. He was definitely in a terrible mood and Molly wondered why he even chose to read down here instead of in his room. 

After suffering his cards about a thousand times he looked back over at the grumpy wizard that was his only excuse for company. Curiosity was slowly getting the better of him of what exactly Caleb was even reading. The book in Caleb’s hands seemed to be a very plain leather with no title or decoration but knowing the reader it had to have something interesting in it. Most likely either some wizard magic nonsense or some tasteful smut. Honestly, it could be anything.

After all the wizard had a knack for surprising him in a lot of ways. He was occasionally pretty funny and seemed to have the group in mind most of the time. Molly’s immediate impression of him was of a suspicious and a bit unfriendly guy who was probably going to be the first of the Nein to run away but much faster than expected Caleb seemed to start trying to befriend everyone in his own way. He didn’t seem to trust them completely (though he probably shouldn’t anyway) but he was definitely trying. Molly wasn’t even sure he felt as invested in this group as Caleb but he WAS sure that underneath all that dirt had to be a much more interesting person than anyone else currently around.

Molly leaned in slowly so he could read over Caleb’s shoulder but before he could take in a word the book was closed and tired blue eyes looked at him questioningly.

“What'cha reading”

“I assure you it’s nothing interesting”

“And I assure you it has to be more interesting than this” He gestures to the barren tavern around them. Caleb shifts his eyes to the almost depressingly empty tavern and then back to his book. 

“Well, you’re right about that. It’s just uh old tales and myths from around this area I suppose. They seem pretty standard tho. A misbehaving child gets punished here or a terrifying monster gets defeated there.”

“That’s standard?”

“Ja, you kn- oh I suppose maybe you don’t know” Molly made a teasing smile and shrugged. Molly hadn’t exactly spent his two years catching up on children’s fairytales but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t start. 

“I know some. I heard some passing stories on the road. I can’t say I remember them all too well though” Molly fiddled with one of his cards while still keeping an eye on Caleb. He had opened his book up again but he hadn’t started reading yet. Instead, he looked back up at Molly.

“Would you like to read it?” He offered the open book to him. “I mean since you haven’t before.” Caleb looked a bit nervous at this and for a moment Molly didn’t know how to respond.

“Well, I uh don’t want to take away from your reading time Mr. Caleb.”

“It’s not. We can read together if you want.” A small smile grew on the tieflings face.

“Alright.”

Caleb put the book between them and Molly scooted a bit closer. It was turned to the start of a new story. Each time Molly finished a page he looked up to see Caleb looking back until he turned the page. It didn’t seem like Caleb was upset about Molly’s reading speed. If anything he seemed like he was watching for a reaction. The story itself was actually pretty intriguing. This particular one seemed to fit the ‘terrifing monster gets defeated’ type of story. It wasn’t long before Molly stopped checking if Caleb was done and just turned the pages with a bit of investment. When he finished he looked back up and saw Caleb just staring back with a dazed look. It was close to the look he got when he was lost in a new book but he seemed to be looking straight at Molly. 

“I can see a bit of why you bury your head in these so often. This one seems quite interesting” That made Caleb chuckle a bit.

“Well not all of them are like this one but I find most books have at least one bit of useful information”

“Is that why you read so much? Information”

“Ja, of course. That’s what books are for Mr. Mollymauk”

“No enjoyment? Not for relief of boredom? Fun?” Caleb rolled his eyes at his teasing tone but was still giving that small smile of his.

“Well, it can be that too and be useful” 

“Does everything have to be useful to have importance?” To this Caleb didn’t have an answer or maybe he just didn’t want to say it. Instead quickly changing the subject. 

“Do... Do you want to read more of these? You could borrow it if you want. I have already heard most of these.” 

“Maybe. It would be nice to have something to do on long watches. Would you read it with me?” 

“Maybe. If you would like” Molly would like. He would like a lot.

“Then Ja, I would” Molly couldn't help the little swish of excitement of his tail. Looks like he found someone very interesting indeed.


End file.
